Game of the Day: SAFC 1 Man City 0

Darren Bent’s injury-time penalty put an early dent in Manchester City’s title ambitions as the Black Cats edged out the Citizens at the Stadium of Light.

The hosts started brightly and Bent, Ahmed Elmohamady and Fraizer Campbell all had attempts in the first ten minutes but failed to trouble City keeper Joe Hart.

The big turning point in the game came when Sunderland's defence was caught wide open as Yaya Toure showed superb pace and strength to power 50 yards through the midfield before laying the ball off to Carlos Tevez, but the striker - under no pressure - incredibly side-footed his effort well over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Despite his miss, Tevez was a constant menace and he got a quick chance to make amends for his error when Sunderland's Campbell hit a pass to his feet 40 yards from goal, but after a jinking run the Argentine's shot was deflected wide.

City created another gilt-edged chance to break the deadlock on the stroke of half-time when James Milner's free-kick found its way to the unmarked Yaya Toure six yards out - but Simon Mignolet managed to divert the Ivorian's effort narrowly wide.

City’s dominance looked certaint to pay off when Milner's corner was headed back across goal by Micah Richards only for Emmanuel Adebayor to see his close-range volley saved excellently by Mignolet, who tipped the effort over the bar.

The game looked to be heading for a stalemate when Elmohamady whipped in another dangerous cross from the right and Richards was adjudged to have held Bent back as he leapt for the header.

The striker picked himself to take the spot-kick and it crept just under the dive of Hart to give the hosts their first win of the season.